Closure for bottles and analogous receptacles



Oct. 2, 1934. w. E. SMILEY 1,975,378 7' CLOSH FOR'BOTTLES AND ANALOGOUS RECEPTACLES Filed June 14, 1953 Wim/Ess Patented Oct. 2, 1934 (QLOSURE FOR vBOTTLES AND ANALOGOUS RECEPTACLES William E; Smiley, Cazenovia, N. Y., assignor to Y e Paul H. Williams, Cazenovia, N. Y.

Applicatie June 14, 193e, smal No. 675,730

4 Claims.

be opened at will to form a pouring spout throughf which the contents; of Vthe'receptacle may be discharged or Withdrawn'without removing the cap from the receptacle'.

Id' The caps for milk bottles and the like are prefera-bly' made in the form ofl iiatv circular disks of laminated er multiply paper-board suitably treated te render Vthem impervious to air and moisture- Vb uteap'abl'e ofhavingportions of its layers easilyv '-cut' and separated to form the outlet lopening and peuring spouttherefor in the manner hereinafter described; Y Y A The m'aV object, however, is to provide a cap of this'char'acter with an opening and a closure therefor consisting of a tongue complementary te the 'opening and hinged at one end to the cap to beopened andclosed at will, and opposite side Wings also hinged tothe cap to normally over--v .v lap upon the tongue and adapted to bev unfolded Ziby theopening'of the tongue, together' With'cof operative means on the tongue and wings respectively for holding the tongue in its open position against accidental closing and thereby to form `thepeering-spcut. e e 3U' vOne of the speci-fic vobjects is to Aprovide'the outer face 'of the tongue with recesses complementay to the forni of the wings to enable said wing'sto lie atvvisein thev recesses when the tongue is closedso that both faces of the cap :ncludirig the tonguefand Wings'will be-at and' parallel vforconve-:inience infls-tacking andk displacing the' caps one by ene from the stack during tie operation of applying the capsV to the bottSl 4d" Another object is to provide portions ofthe marginal Walls of the opening and corresponding porti'cinsl of the marginal edges of the tongue with cpnpleriientaryrabbets engaging each other whenl movementl the'tog'ue is closed to limit the closing of said tongueand at the same time to utilize pr'tiensfof the tfo'igue as S'GPS or abutments adapted to be ,enrgaged bythe side lWingsyvherithe tongue is opened to' prevent accidental closing of the tongue. y

` O`ther objects and useswill be brought out in the fdll'wing description.

the'driawigv- Figure 1 is a top plan of alclosur'ecap embody-fV ing `the various' features of myinventiomthe 55"' tongue and wings being in. their closed positions.-

anges of ythe',rabbetson thev Figure-2 is anY enlarged sectional View of the same taken on line V2.--2, 'Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan similar to'Fi'gure 1, eX- cept that the tongue and Wings are in their'open positions.,

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewv taken on line lf-4, Figure 3. Figures 5A andv 6 are vertical sectional Views, taken respectively'on 'lines 5-5 and 6-e6, Figure,

4,' looking in opposite directions, the open Wings.; beingv shown by dotted lines in Figure 5 and by full lines in Figurel 6.

Figures '7 and 8 are taken respectively on lines "7-7 and 8&8', Fig'ure. i

Figure 9 is an inverted cap shown in Figure 1.

As illustrated, this closure cap comprises a flat circular disk l of laminated or multi-plyA paper board parafned orotherwise treated to render impervious to' air and moisture, the opposite faces of the disk cap and the several layers thereofloeing substantiallyv parallel and firmly pressed together to form a unitary relatively rigid structure inv which the layers are susceptible to division or splitting one from the'other for a purpose hereinafter described.,A V f 'Y This di'skis provided With an opening 2 and a closure tongue'3 therefor and complementaryV thereto in form and size, said tongue being hinged at one end at 4 to the disk to permit it to be opened and closed at will. Y

A pair of similar opposite Wings 5v are alsohin'ged at 6 tothe diskvr y1 at opposite sides of the opening 2 to'svving laterally in opposite directions for engaging'corresponding edges of the closure tongue 3 to -hold the latter in its open position in a manner hereinafterexplain'ed. As illustrated, the opening 2 is formed mainly' in one half vof the disk -to extend radially fromV approximately the center of the disk to Within a relatively short distance from the outer marginal edge vof said disk 'and laterally equal distances from the center of said disk, said opening being-A preferably tapered from the center toward the periphery so that its inner end is relatively wider than its outer end. l* The tongue 3 being complementary to the formv and size of the opening 2 and hinged to the witherr end vWall of the opening, itis designed to effec-v tively clos'ethe opening when in its-folded or nor-V mal position,"as' shown in Figures 1, 2` and 9 andv is adaptedto be' unfolded or openedto a'position at substantially right angles to the 'plane of thev disk, as shown in AFigures 3 to V-8 inclusive.- l

plan View of theclosure horizontaly sectional views'.l

ros

That is, the tongue 3 is hinged to the disk to swing to and from its closed position along the diametrical line indicated by dotted lines af-a, Figure 1, and has its opposite edges provided with laterally projecting flanges 7 a distance from the folding line somewhat less than the length of the Wings 5 to form shoulders or abutments against which the outer ends of the wings 5 are adapted to engage when the tongue 3 and wings 5 are unfolded to its open position, as shown in Figure 4, for holding said tongue against accidental closing.

When the tongue 3 and Wings 5 are opened to the positions shown in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive they constitute what may be termed a pouring spout for directing the liquid outwardly through the opening when the bottle or other receptacle with the cap thereon is wholly or partially inverted.

It is to be understood, however, that the same opening may be used for receiving a straw or siphon tube whereby the liquid may be withdrawn from the bottle while the latter is in a vertical position.

The wings 5 are preferably of similar triangular form with their wider ends hinged at 6 to the disk to swing to and from positions at substantially equal angles to the plane of said disk, the inner or rear edges of the wings being preferably disposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the disk when unfolded to the position shown in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, said wings being approximately half the thickness of the tongue for a purpose presently described.

The outer face of the tongue 3 adjacent the` disk l is provided with opposite recesses 8 each complementary to its corresponding wing 5 and of about the same depth as the wings so that when the wings and tongue are folded to their normal closed positions as shown in Figure 2, the wings will lie flatwise in their respective recesses 8.

In other Words, the front edges as 9 of the folded wings 5 and the front walls as 10 of the recesses 8 are divergent outwardly from the center of the disk at equal angles so that when folded they Will be in close engagement, While the outer faces of the folded Wings will be disposed in substantially the same plane at the outer face of the folded tongue 3 as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The rear edges as 11 of the wings 5 and corresponding rear walls as 11 of the recesses 8 of the tongue 3 are also slightly divergent forwardly from a point 12 a slight distance at the rear of the center folding line 2 and, therefore, a slight distance from the apex of the front walls 10 of the recess, as shown in Figure 1, so that the thickness of the intervening space between the apexes of the opposite walls of the recesses Will be approximately half that of the disk to enable rthe tongue to fold and unfold more easily than would be the case if the thickness of the stock along the folding line were equal to that of the disk, said intervening space being indicated at 13, Figures 1, 2 and 3. Y

'I'he width of the base along the folding line 6 of each of the wings 5 and adjacent side of the corresponding recess 8 is considerably less than that of the contiguous side wallof the opening 2, while the rear edge as 11 of each Wing 5 and adjacent rear wall of the corresponding recess 8 is appreciably longer than the base width of the Wing so that when the tongue and wings are unfolded to their open positions, the outer ends of -the .Wings will engage the front faces of the 1,975,378 1 y, .Y Y t flanges 7 to hold the tongue in its open position against accidental closing.

Under these conditions, the rear edges of the wings 5 will abut against the adjacent edges of the open tongue 3 to hold them against accidental closing movement.

The tongue 3 and wings 5 are integral parts of the disk 1 in that the tongue 3 is integrally united at 4 to the rear wall of the opening 2 to fold and unfold to and from its closed position or from the Aposition shown in Figures 1, 2 and 9 to the positions shown in Figures 3 to 8 inclusive.

The Wings 5 are also integrally united at 6 to opposite Walls of the opening 2 closely adjacent the folding line 4 of the tongue.

'Ihe portions of the walls of the opening 2 in front of the wings 5 are rabbeted at 14 from the top substantially half Way through the thickness of the disk while the portions of the closed tongue 3 in front of the recesses 8 are similarly rabbeted at k15 from the underside through substantially half the thickness of the tongue and complementary to the rabbets 14 so that when` the tongue is folded to its closed position, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 9, the anges of the rabbets l5 will enter the rabbets 14 with the result that the upper and lower faces of the tongue Will be substantially coincident with the corresponding faces of the disk, as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

This engagement of the flanges of the tongue in the rabbets of the walls of the opening 2 serves to limit the closing movement of the tongue at which time the Wings 5 may be folded into their respective recesses 8 in the upper face of the tongue to assist in holding the latter-in its closed position with the assurance that the outer faces of the wings will lie in a plane substantially coincident with'A the corresponding faces ofY thedisk.

If desired, the front end or tip of the closed tongue 3 may be depressed at 16 to permit the insertion of a finger nail or other implement under the front edge of the tongue for opening the same.Y

The rabbets 14 and 15 in the disk 1 and tongue 3 respectively are preferably formed by cutting half way through the disk from the underside along the lines 17 and 17', Figure 9, and also by cutting half way through the disk from the upper side along the lines 18 and 18', Figure 1, in olfset relation to the lines 17 and 17 and at the same time cutting half way through the disk from the upper side along the lines 9 or `10, 11 or 11, and 13, as shown in Figure 1, and then splitting or stripping the wings 5 and tonguev 3v from the underlying portions of the disk.

It is, of course, understood that when the disk 1 is cut through opposite faces in staggered relation to form the tongue 3 and when the cuts 9, 11 and 13 are properly made, the finger nail or other instrument may be inserted into the cut 13 to permit the wings 5 to be split from the underlying portions of the tongue and folded upwardly along the folding lines 6 whereupon the finger nail or other instrument may be inserted inthe depression 16 and engaged with the adjacent end of the tongue to `strip the latter fromthedisk along the lines-of the rabbets 14 Aand 15 thereby unfolding the tongue along the folding line a.-a and incidentally spreading thewings 5 until the rabbets 15 on opposite sides` of the .tongue are brought into registration with the rear edges` of the Wings, whereupon the latter automatically springs into the rabbets 1-5for holding the tongue upper face of the disk atthe iet in its open position against accidental closing i and similarly holding the Wings against accidental closing, as shown more clearly in Figure 7.

This method of cutting the disk along the lines 17 and 17 from the underside half Way through the disk and simultaneously cutting the disk from the upper side half Way through the thickness of the disk along the lines 18 and 18' and also along the lines 9, 11 and 13 to form the outlines of the tongue 3 and Wings 5, leaves the disk with both faces substantially hat and parallel so that they may be stacked one upon the other and then applied to the bottles one at a time by the usual mechanism commonly employed for that purpose, thus providing a cap in Which the opening therethrough is closed and hermetically sealed by the tongue 3 and Wings 5 to prevent entrance of foreign matter into the receptacle and also preventing escape of liquid from the receptacle through the opening.

When it is desired to use the contents of the bottle Without removing the cap, the Wings and tongue may be unfolded to their open positions in the manner described and as shown in Figures 3 to 8 inclusive, whereupon the contents of the bottle may be discharged through the opening 2 and directed into another receptacle by means of the spout formed by the previously opened tongue and Wings when the bottle is Wholly or partially inverted or as previously stated, the contents may be Withdrawn through the opening by means of a suction tube or Siphon While the bottle remains in an upright] position.

In case a portion only of the liquid is discharged from the bottle, the Wings 5 may be sprung outwardly by hand to enable the tongue 3 to be closed after which the Wings Will be folded atWise into their corresponding recesses 8 in the tongue, thereby effectively closing the opening to prevent the` entrance of foreign matter or escape of liquid from the receptacle.

What I claim is:

1. A closure for bottles and analogous receptacles comprising a fibrous member having a tongue and opposite side Wings cut therefrom to form an opening therethrough, said tongue and Wings being integrally united at one end to said member and normally closing said opening but adapted to unfold to form a pouring spout around one end and along opposite sides of the opening, said tongue having portions of its opposite sides rabbeted to receive the adjacent edges of the Wings when the tongue and wings are unfolded to their open positions and thereby to hold the tongue in its open position against accidentally closing.

2. A bottle cap disk having an opening therethrough, a closure tongue for said opening integrally united at one end to said disk and adapted to be opened and closed at Will, said tongue having recesses in one of its faces, and Wings complementary to said recesses integrally united to said disk at opposite sides of the opening to fold into said recesses when the tongue is closed and to unfold when the tongue is opened to form a pouring spout, said tongue and Wings having cooperative means for holding the tongue in its open position against accidental closing.

3. A bottle cap having an opening therethrough, a closure for said opening hinged to the disk to open and close and having portions of its opposite edges rabbeted, and Wings hinged to the cap at opposite sides of the opening and adapted to fold over and upon the closure when the latter is closed and to unfold into engagement with theadjacent rabbeted portions when the closure is opened for holding said closure against accidental closing.

4. A bottle cap having an opening therethrough, a closure for said opening hinged to the disk to open and close and having portions of its opposite edges rabbeted, and Wings hinged to the cap at opposite sides of the opening and adapted to fold over and upon the closure when the latter is closed and to unfold into engagement With the adjacent rabbeted portions When the closure is opened for holding said closure against accidental closing, said closure having recesses in its outer face complementary to the Wings into which the latter are folded when the closure is closed.

WILLIAM E. SMILEY. 

